Patient communicator support

ABSTRACT

A patient communicator support having clamp means adapted to be clamped onto a hospital bed or other patient&#39;&#39;s bed, and having a bendable arm holding a cradle for supporting a communication instrument in various adjusted positions, and in juxtaposition relative to the patient and according to his desire; the cradle of the invention having a pair of spaced apart walls to which are secured respective layers of compressible material adapted frictionally to engage opposite sides of a communication instrument.

United States Patent 191 Langlais Sept. 1 1, 1 973 PATIENT COMMUNICATOR SUPPORT I Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay l [76] Inventor eg t fiiz kgl Hudson Assistant ExaminerPeter A Aschenbrenner Att0rney-Drummond, Cahill & Phillips l,,\ [22] Filed: Sept. 10, 1970 1211 Appl- No.: 7 ,276 57 ABSTRACT A patient communicator support having clamp means U-S. Cl- R, adapted to be clamped nto a hospital bed or other pa- [51 Int. Cl. A476 21/00 ti ts b d and having a bendable arm holding a cradle Field of Search 5/317 8/31 for supportinga communication instrument in various 240/4 adjusted positions, and in juxtaposition relative to the patient and according to his desire; the cradle of the inl References Cited vention having a pair of spaced apart walls to which are UNITED STATES PATENTS secured respective layers of compressible material 2,956,687 10 1960 Robichaud 248/314 adapted frictionany to engage Opposite Sides of a 2,639,880 5/1953 13611611 6161. 248/314 munication instrument 2,773,663 12/1956 Beers 248/314 v 1 1,930,993 10 1933 Blodgett 240 4 1 3 W /62 r 34 52 1 I v I I C 54 I 1 I 46 l 2 48 29 1 I 6 4 so 1 I 22 I I l 44 I l x l l 1 1 1, 1 6 0 20 I I v I j 4 \i t l 1 I I I\ l I2 I 1 t '\3 PATENTEBSE" ans-r. sea

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snizteorz 3 k 3 INVENTOR. JOSEPH E. LANGLAIS PATIENT COMMUNICATOR SUPPORT BACKGROUND OF THE' INVENTION patient has difficulty locating the instrument in many instances. Further, many patients are somewhat disabled and have difficulty reaching the instrument, when they need attention. Accordingly, the support of communication instruments with relation to a patient have been entirely unsatisfactory due to the fact that the instrument is not always clipped on the bedding in the same location, and due to the fact that when the patient turns, the instrument due to gravity becomes displaced by pulling the bedding out of position so that the patient must search for the instrument each time the patient needs attention. This causes frustration of the patient and considerable delay, and of course, those patients who are substantially disabled, may have great diff culty in the handling of the instrument and manipulation thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a very convenient support for a communication instrument for patients in hospital beds or other areas, and the bendable arm of the invention. supported by a clamp rigidly fixed to the patients bed provides means for supporting an instrument cradle in juxtaposition with relation to the patient and above the patients bedding and in an area where the patient may have absolute convenience of reaching the instrument without causing displacement thereof due to changes inbedding or positions of the patient. The bendable arm of the invention permits the patient to bed the cradle of the invention into any desired position laterally or with relation to elevation so that the patient at all times knows exactly where the instrument is and it may be in a convenient place so that the patient may confortably reach it very quickly when the patient wishes to have attention.

Novel features of the invention comprise spaced apart substantially rigid walls lined with layers of compressiblematerials, such as foam plastic, or the like, which frictionally engage opposite sides of a conventional communication instrument and hold the instrumentsecurely so that it may be held in proper position for use bythe patient. Additionallyflhe invention comprises downwardly converging walls adapted to wedgingly support the instrument with the compressible 'material at opposite sides thereof so that the instrument is very securely held; the walls of the cradle are provided with a suitable opening to expose controls of the communication instrument so that it may be operated with facility by the patient.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a very satisfactory patient communicator support particularly adapted for use by bed ridden patients for hold communication instruments in juxtaposition relative to the bed, such that the instrument may not be displaced ordisturbed, and such that it is always in a convenient and desirable position for timely use by the patient in calling a nurse or other persons for attention.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a patient communication support according to the present invention, and showing a clamp means of the invention secured to the frame ofa bed; said bed being disclosed in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the patient communicator support of the invention, showing portions thereof broken away to facilitate the illustration; and FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the patient communication support taken from the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the patient communicator support of the invention is provided with a clamp means 10 generally similar to a conventional C- clamp having a generally C-shaped yoke 12 provided with an arm portion 14 having a screw 16 screw threaded therein, and provided with a handle means 18 adapted for manual actuation of the screw 16 which carries a rotary pad 20 similar to conventional C- clamps. I

The clamp means is provided with an arm 22 opposing the arm 14 so that the frame 24 or other structure of a patients bed 26 may be clamped between the rotary pad 20 of the arm 22..

The clamp means is provided with a substantially rigid upstanding portion 28 having a bendable arm 30 secured thereto.- This bendable arm is a conventional bendable arm well known in the art, and comprises generally convoluted metal structure frictionally adapted to remain in fixed position after having been bent and to support a substantial load without changing position. i

The bendable arm 30 supports a cradle 32 which serves as a communication instrument supporting cradle. This cradle 32 is provided with a pair of spaced apart opposed walls 34 and 36 which are preferably of substantially rigid material, such as metal, and the spaced apart walls 34 and 36 are interconnected by a third substantially rigid wall 38. This wall 38 is coupled converging portions 56 and 60 with conforming portions of the compressible layers 48 and 50 downwardly converging to limit downward movement and to ,pro-

. back wall. 38 which is carried by the bendable arm 30.

The wall 46 and the layer of compressible material 50 are provided with conforming cutout openings forming a general opening 62 adapted to expose controls of a communication instrument so that the controls may be adjusted while the instrument is held in the cradle 32.

It will be understood that the cradle 32 carried by the bendable arm 30 may be moved about into any position desired compatible with an elevation and lateral disposition relative to the bed 26 or relative to the longitudinal axis of the bed so that the patient may have convenience in the operation of a communicator instrument held in the cradle 32, as hereinbefore described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be resorted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 claim:

1. In a patient communicator support, the combination of: a clamp means adapted to be clamped to the frame structure of a patients bed; a universally bendable arm supported on said clamp means; a communicator supporting cradle adapted to hold a communication instrument, said cradle supported on said bendable arm and having a pair of substantially rigid spaced apart walls; layers of compressible material respectively disposed on said wall and facing each other and adapted to frictionally engage opposite sides of a communications instrument; said pair of walls comprising a pair of generally parallel portions and a pair of generally downwardly converging portions; one of said pair of walls and the respective compressible material thereon having an opening therethrough adapted to expose controls of a communication instrument when held between said pair of walls and engaged with said compressible material on said walls; and a third substantially rigid wall interconnecting said pair of walls,

said third wall being connected to said bendable arm. 

1. In a patient communicator support, the combination of: a clamp means adapted to be clamped to the frame structure of a patient''s bed; a universally bendable arm supported on said clamp means; a communicator supporting cradle adapted to hold a communication instrument, said cradle supported on said bendable arm and having a pair of substantially rigid spaced apart walls; layers of compressible material respectively disposed on said wall and facing each other and adapted to frictionally engage opposite sides of a communications instrument; said pair of walls comprising a pair of generally parallel portions and a pair of generally downwardly converging portions; one of said pair of walls and the respective compressible material thereon having an opening therethrough adapted to expose controls of a communication instrument when held between said pair of walls and engaged with said compressible material on said walls; and a third substantially rigid wall interconnecting said pair of walls, said third wall being connected to said bendable arm. 